Pandikar draws flak over debate challenge to Sarawak CM

Bede Hong Desmond Davidson Bede Hong, Desmond Davidson Updated 6 years ago · Published on 1 Dec 2017 1:07PM · 5 Comments

Pandikar Amin Mulia has been described as being 'out of touch with political reality'. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, December 1, 2017.

IT is a waste of time for the Sarawak chief minister to debate with Parliament Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia over the importance of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), state Barisan Nasional leaders said today.

They said Pandikar should not be given the time of day since he had no locus standi in restoring MA63 rights to Sabah and Sarawak.

Furthermore, they said, he treated history with contempt and was “out of touch with political reality”.

Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg had criticised Pandikar last week for saying MA63 was not an important document in the formation of Malaysia.

At a press conference in Parliament yesterday, Pandikar challenged Abang Johari to debate MA63.

Slamming Pandikar, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Supreme Council member Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said there was no need to debate with a man who treated history with contempt.

“He has no say whatsoever in restoring MA63 rights to Sabah and Sarawak.

“We don’t need a chief minister who can debate with MA63 doubters, but one who is firm and adamant at the negotiating table with Putrajaya on MA63,” Karim, who is also state tourism minister, told The Malaysian Insight.

Pandikar yesterday said: “If he (Abang Johari) disagrees with me 10 times, I disagree with him 100 times.”

The Sabahan added: “I am used to listening to what the Penang chief minister and Selangor menteri besar say all the time. So, it doesn’t make a difference to me what the opinion of the Sarawak chief minister is.”

Last week, he had issued a debate challenge to Parti Warisan Sabah president Mohd Shafie Apdal.

Sarawak United People’s Party president Dr Sim Kui Hian said a debate would be pointless as most people in Borneo already knew of the agreement.

“No, he (Abang Johari) should not (debate). It’s a waste of time debating. I’m sure the majority of Sabahans, as well as Sarawakians, do not agree with Pandikar.”

Abang Johari’s chief political secretary, Abdullah Saidol, described Pandikar’s comments as being “out of touch with political reality”.

“I don’t think the chief minister is interested in dancing to Pandikar’s totally out-of-tune music,” said Abdullah, who is also state assistant minister of corporate affairs.

“It’s shocking, however, to hear such words come out from the mouth of a Sabahan, who describes MA63 as being irrelevant.

“Let the people of Sabah themselves judge him, whether they need this type of leader to represent them. Pandikar has failed to appreciate the sentiments of the people of Sabah and Sarawak.

“And, he must think that we in Sarawak are stupid for him to talk down to our leader in that manner. We are very offended by his comments and absolutely object to them.”

Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister James Masing refrained from attacking Pandikar directly, saying MA63 was part and parcel of the formation of the country.

“There is one lady historian who said in Kuching recently that MA63 is nothing. That the Malaysian Constitution takes precedence over MA63!” Masing told The Malaysian Insight.

“MA63 is the lynchpin of the formation of Malaysia. Without MA63, there would be no Malaysia. If there was no Malaysia, there would be no Constitution,” said Masing, who heads Parti Rakyat Sarawak.

“Whoever says that the Constitution takes precedence over MA63 is either not properly briefed on Malaysian history or is faulty in their legal reasoning.”

MA63 is an international agreement that set the terms and conditions in which Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak agreed to merge, to form Malaysia. The UK is also a signatory.

The agreement cannot be amended in Parliament, and allows Sabah and Sarawak fundamental autonomy over matters regarding language, religion, native laws, education and immigration. – December 1, 2017.

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Comments

  • This particular Parliament Speaker has grown too big for his shoes.He thinks he is next to PM . Behaving like an Overlord to all in the parliamentarians has got him into a make believe world and selfishly thinking highly of himself. He has unintelligently accorded himself as an intellectual in the constitution and the country laws and now with the false courage has demanded debates with counter parts who are in conflict with his arguments. Totally an imbecille who thinks that his ass now sits on a highly posh renovated toilet room has super charged his intellect to challenge others. High time that both Sabah and Sarawak gather their intellectual grouping and forward a case on the MA63 . Please have an addenum by demaning that this speaker is removed and replace by someone capable from East Malaysia. By denying that MA63 is not relevant and unimportant is a treasonous act to the Sabahans and Sarawakians and what a shame he is from that region.

    Posted 6 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

    • Lee Lee - unfortunately - Sabahan & Sarawakian are not politically savvy. This allowed local Sabahan & Sarawakian Politicians - to collaborate with certain political elite from West Malaysia - and through this unholy marriage - resulted in the looting, robbing and raping of Sabah & Sarawak. Politicians uses small money & cheap gifts to buy votes from rural folks desperate for aids.

      Posted 6 years ago by Chris Ng · Reply

  • Sarawak and Sabahan better wake up their enemy and suffering is not just UMNO, it's their own BN leaders

    Posted 6 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

  • Sarawak and Sabahan better wake up their enemy and suffering is not just UMNO, it's just as much their own BN leaders

    Posted 6 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

  • Breathtaking dynamics guaranteed.

    Posted 6 years ago by Bird dichi · Reply